Travel News

Social media 'untapped resource' for travel industry

A new report from search conversion agency Tamar has claimed that companies in the travel sector are failing to reap the full benefit offered by social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo.

The company's 2008 Social Media Sectors report said that brands who fail to engage with potential customers through online forums could be missing opportunities to enhance their business.

Henry Ellis, head of social media at Tamar, stressed that consumers use social media to air their views on positive as well as negative experiences.

Looking at the travel sector, the report found that most of the leading brands have strong consumer support on social networks, but few have set up an official presence on these forums to take full advantage of this support.

The Tamar research found that travel companies that do have an official presence on social networks have on average 59 per cent more consumer support than brands that are not officially represented.

Mr Ellis said: "Travel brands are currently experiencing positive feedback on social networks as a result of the many unofficial consumer-led groups supporting brands in this sector.

"But where organisations continue to be slow to enter the volatile social networking arena they could be missing out on taking advantage of this support."

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